If you haven’t seen it already, GéNIA’s latest trailer showcases three original compositions on her second EP: Sweet Memories, Mon Amour, and London-Paris. Even if you’ve heard the songs before, the video gives you a great view of GéNIA’s playing that you simply couldn’t get live.

The album is inspired by a cup of coffee, and this is perhaps most apparent on the first of the three tracks, Sweet Memories. It evokes a sense of nostalgia and calm, a sense that is familiar to all of us who like to sit in cafés and to watch the world go by. The second piece, Mon Amour, is slower and filled with more melancholy than the first, reminding us of how it feels to reminisce upon the past, and perhaps even upon what we have lost. This changes as we reach London-Paris; GéNIA’s music has departed from reflection and looks towards the future. It brings a sense of anticipation and possibility; the increase in tempo and dynamics also creating the feeling of the intent and purpose that comes with travel.

Also worth your attention: if you listen closely, you can hear GéNIA conjure up the effect of a chorus during London-Paris – the piano really starts to sound a little like the human voice!

You can now see a full performance of GéNIA’s composition ‘London-Paris’ on YouTube. It is footage from GéNIA’s concert in support of UNICEF in France last year.

‘London-Paris’ was written on the Eurostar, late on a cold, snowy night during Winter; GéNIA frequently made the trip between the two cities during a sabbatical taken in 2013. This particular performance of the piece is at a higher tempo than when she recorded it in the studio, which makes her right-hand triplet runs all the more formidable and impressive! Coupled with intensified dynamics, GéNIA gives this performance a distinctive character which it is worth your time to investigate.

There are more new compositions from GéNIA on their way. Faber Music will be releasing a series of CDs featuring new piano recordings, and GéNIA has been asked to contribute three original pieces to the project. We’re looking forward to sharing them with you!

Founded in 1965 by Benjamin Britten and Donald Mitchell, Faber is one of the most respected music publishers in the UK. It has a very distinguished track record in classical music, particularly with more current artists and composers, and has worked with contemporary figures such as Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber and Paul McCartney. Like GéNIA, it too believes in the importance of crossing between classical and contemporary!

If you have ever bought sheet music or educative material, we are confident that you will be familiar with Faber. It is a company GéNIA is proud to be associated with, and we feel this collaboration is special.

If GéNIA’s dress caught your eye in the trailer for her latest album, you may be interested to know that it was designed for her, by the multi-award winning José Hendo whose work has featured at Fashion Weeks across the globe.

José Hendo’s work revolves around the principle of sustainable fashion. She does not waste material, and only uses it herself if it is sustainably produced – end-of-line, up-cycled, or organic. As well as remaining ever-conscious of her work’s impact on the environment, José seeks to raise awareness of the environmental effects of the fashion industry herself.

This dress designed for GéNIA, which has a wonderful red complexion, is of a traditional length when viewed from the front, but from behind it carries a shorter more contemporary line. It combines a respect for what we can learn from those before us with recognition of the need to change and evolve – a difficult but essential balance to strike.

The considered approach José Hendo brings to her work complements GéNIA’s own thoughtful style, both in composition and in performance, and brings yet another touch of class to her latest renditions.

This video, recorded in September 2014 in Nice, France, is a great opportunity to see and hear GéNIA at her most virtuosic. Paganini Jazz is a demanding piece, and with a very clear view of the piano keyboard, the video offers a window into how GéNIA approaches this challenge. For those who want some insight into her technique, this is footage that can be carefully studied.

It is also a chance to hear how GéNIA handles Jazz; something of a departure from both her classical repertoire and her songwriting. That the answer is ‘very well’ is evident from the way she navigates the contrasting moods of the piece, and manages to maintain such a smooth playing style even in the most up-tempo and dramatic of moments. It is also evident from the standing ovation she receives at the end of the song! A dynamic performance full of variety, it is certainly worth a few minutes of your time to investigate.

As well as being an outstanding rendition, GéNIA’s performance was on this occasion in support of UNICEF, and the funds raised from the concert meant that 560 girls throughout Guinéa, Mozambique, Togo, Malaisie and Madagascar received an education for a year. Good music for a good cause!